Container filling and closing machine



Oct. 23, 1962 T. E. PIAZZE CONTAINER FILLING AND CLOSING MACHINE Original Filed April 22, 1959 INVENTOR. M 6. 291 8 3,859,752 Patented Oct. 23, 1952 free 3 859,752 CONTAINER FELING AND CLOSING MACHINE Thomas E. Piazza, Mount Vernon, ()hio, assignor to Continental Can Company, Inc, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Original application Apr. 22, 1959, Ser. No. 808,112, now Patent No. 2,976,660, dated Mar. 28, 1961. Divided and this application Jan. 26, 1961, Ser. No. 85,078

6 Claims. (ill. 198-26) This invention relates to packaging machinery and is more particularly concerned with improvements in a machine for receiving a container formed of pliable sheet material from a container forming machine, filling the container with a commodity, closing the top of the filled container and sealing the same.

This is a division of Serial No. 808,112, filed April 22, 1959, now Patent No. 2,976,660.

It is a general object of the invention to provide an improved container filling and closing machine having a pocketed conveyor for receiving open topped tube-like containers which are formed of pliable, heat sealable material from a container making machine or other source of supply and for advancing the containers beneath apparatus positioned along the path of the conveyor for filling each container with a predetermined quantity of a product, for folding the top portions of the end walls of the filled container to form a closure therefor, for sealing the closed top of the container and for thereafter delivering the closed packages thus formed from the machine.

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide in a machine of the type described an improved mecha nism for receiving successive pairs of open fiat bottom bags from a supply line and for seating the bags in pocket forming mandrels on a continuously operated conveyor for transfer to successive bag filling, closing and sealing mechanisms.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a container forming, filling and closing apparatus a mechanism for transferring containers from an intermittently operating container fabricating machine in multiple sideby-side relation to upwardly opening container receiving mandrels which are arranged in single file relation on a continuously traveling conveyor which carries the same to successive container filling, top closing and sealing apparatus.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the apparatus which is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a partial rear side elevation of a bag filling and closing machine with portions broken away so as to show the bag transfer mechanism;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary cross section taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary, horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

The invention is embodied in a bag filling and closing machine which is illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the specification of Serial No. 808,112, filed April 22, 1959. The machine is adapted to receive a series of bags of the square bottom type which are formed of heat scalable sheet or web material, to fill successive bags with a product, to fold and seal the top of each bag and deliver the completed packages formed thereby from the machine. The bags are received from a container fabricating machine of the type in which a series of forming mandrels are carried in double line arrangement on an endless conveyor and sheets of relatively flexible container forming material are folded over the ends of the mandrels to form fiat bottom containers having vertical side seams, the containers or bags being removed from the mandrels and delivered to the filling and closing machine through a transfer mechanism in which the present invention is embodied.

The bag filling and closing machine comprises, briefly, a continuously driven endless conveyor supported on an upright frame structure for movement in a horizontal plane, which conveyor is provided with a series of upwardly opening pocket forming mandrels in which the bags are adapted to be received from the container fabricating machine. The bag feeding or transfer mechanism is arranged at station A (FIGURE 3) along the back or rear run of the conveyor for delivering successive pairs of bags in upwardly open relation into the mandrel pockets in the horizontal conveyor.

The machine comprises a generally rectangular upright support member or base 18 (FIGURE 1) on which the operating mechanisms are supported by means of a frame structure which comprises laterally spaced upstanding front and rear side frame members 11 and 12. The side frame members 11 and 12 are connected by suitably positioned, transversely extending brace members. A supporting and guiding frame structure 14 is mounted on the upper edges of the side frame members 11 and 12 for the bag carrying conveyor 15, the frame structure 14 extending above the upper edges of the vertically disposed side frame members 11 and 12 and guiding the conveyor 15 for movement in a horizontal plane. The conveyor 15 comprises a pair of vertically spaced endless carrier members which are formed by short sections of chain links (not shown) which are connected in paired vertical alignment by vertically extending mandrel suppporting plates 18, the latter spacing the chain sections and forming combination support and guide members on which bracket supports for the pocket forming mandrels are secured.

The empty bags 13 are supplied to the pocket forming mandrels 75 in pairs from a suitable source, preferably an intermittently operating duplex bag making machine associated with the present application such as disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 808,112, filed April 22, 1959. The bags 13 are delivered to the conveyor 15 at station A in FIGURE 3 by a conveyor or the like, to a delivery mechanism (FIGURES 1 and 2). The bags 13, in opened up condition, are delivered to a vertical hopper 81 which is mounted on a movement imparting supporting structure 82. The hopper 81 comprises a vertical front plate 83 and a back plate 84 with the back plate 84 having a rearwardly flared upper flange section 85. The hopper 81 is of generally rectangular cross section and open at the top and bottom. It is divided into two separated spaced bag receiving sections or passageways 86 and 86' by vertically extending channel-like members 87 and 87' positioned between the front and back wall plates 83 and 84 and spaced a distance apart corresponding to the spacing of the mandrels 75 on the conveyor 15 as shown in FIGURE 3.

The hopper 81 is supported by the movement imparting structure 82 in outwardly extending relation relative to the main frame of the machine, so that the bottom end is positioned above and in vertical alignment with the open tops of the pocketed mandrels 75 on the conveyor 15. It is supported for movement in a closed four motion path so as to deliver the bags 13 two at a time to the pockets in the mandrels 75 on continuously advancing conveyor 15 beneath the same. The front plate 83 of the hopper 81 is connected by a box-like formation 88 extending from a cross plate 90 on the front plate 83 to the upper end of a vertically extending slide plate 91. The slide plate 91 is supported in a bracket 92 which is in the form of a generally T-shaped casting and which has a vertically extending guideway forming recess 93 within which the plate 91 is mounted for vertcial reciprocation.

(a The carriage forming bracket 92 has two side arms 93 and 93 extending in the longitudinal direction of the machine and pivotally attached at 94 and 94 to the upper ends of a pair of generally vertically extending link members 95 and 95'. The links 95 and 95 are secured at their lower ends on pivot shafts 96 and 96 which extend between the side frame plates 11 and 12. The two links 95 and 95' are also pivotally connected intermediate their ends to opposite ends of a longitudinally extending link 97. A lever arm 98 is secured to the pivot shaft 96 and extends downwardly therefrom with a cam roller 99 on its lower end which is adapted to engage with a plate cam carried on a cross cam shaft 101 extending between the side frame members 11 and 12. The carriage bracket 92 is connected at its trailing end by a pair of horizontally extending tension springs 102 with a fixed part 103 of the main frame of the machine. The springs 102 are connected at one end to a bracket plate 104 which is carried on the pivot 94 and at the other end to a bracket plate 105 which is secured to a cross bar 103 extending between the supporting frames for the conveyor guide rails. The springs 102 resist the movement of the carriage 92 in the direction of the advance of the conveyor and hold the cam roller 99 in engagement with the earn 100 while permitting reciprocating longitudinal movement of d the carriage 92.

The vertical movement of the slide plate 91 is controlled by an angular arm 106. The arm 106 is mounted on the pivot shaft 107 which extends between the side frame members 11 and 12. A cam lever arm 108 is secured on the shaft 107 which carries a cam roller 110 engaging with the plate cam 111 which is mounted on the cam shaft 101 adjacent the cam 100. The lifting lever 106 carries at its free end a roller 112 which engages with a bottom cross plate 113 on the slide plate 91 so that swinging movement of the lever arm 106 raises and lowers the slide plate 91. The carriage bracket 92 carries a small bracket 114 on its inner face on which a roller 115 is rotatably mounted on a vertical axis in position to engage with the outer face of the cross link 97 on the carriage 92, to hold the slide plate 91 in vertical position.

A suction device is associated with the conveyor 15 at Station A to insure proper seating of the bags in the pocket forming mandrels 75 which comprises a suction box 117 having an open top 118 aligned beneath the path of the mandrels 75 so that suction is applied to the base 13 through the apertures in the bottom of the mandrels 75 as the latter slide over the open top 118 of the suction box. The suction box 117 is connected by a suitable conduit 119 to a motor driven pump (not shown) which may be mounted in any convenient location on the machine frame structure.

I claim:

1. In a bag filling machine, an upright supporting frame, a continuously advancing horizontal conveyor mounted on said frame and provided with a series of upwardly opening spaced bag receiving pockets, mechanism for delivering bags in succession into said pockets which mechanism comprises a vertically extending guideway forming frame adapted to receive successive bags therein, means for supporting said frame for movement in a closed path above the line of travel of the pockets on said conveyor and means for moving said frame in said path in timed relation to the movement of the conveyor to align the lower end of the guideway above a pocket on the conveyor for delivery of a bag into the latter during advance of the frame with the conveyor, said frame supporting means comprising a carriage having a vertical track, a slide plate mounted in said track and carrying said frame, a cam operated vertically movable lever below said carriage and having its free end connected to said slide plate, and a pair of vertically extending parallel link members pivoted at their lower ends in longitudinally spaced relation on said supporting frame and connected at their upper ends to said carriage, and said frame moving means comprising a tension spring connected to said carriage and to said supporting frame for urging said carriage in the direction opposite to the direction of advancing movement of said conveyor and cam means for intermittently swinging one of said link members to move said carriage in the direction of advancing movement of said conveyor.

2. In a bag filling machine having an upright supporting frame and a continuously advancing horizontal conveyor mounted on said frame having a series of upwardly opening spaced bag receiving pockets, mechanism for delivering bags in succession into said pockets which mechanism comprises a vertically extending movable guide chute adapted to receive successive bags therein, means for sup porting said chute for movement in a closed path above the line of travel of the pockets on said conveyor and means for moving said chute in said path in timed relation to the movement of the conveyor to align the lower end of the same above a pocket on the conveyor for delivery of a bag into the latter during advance of the frame with the conveyor, said chute supporting means comprising a carriage having a vertical track, a slide plate mounted in said track and carrying said chute, a cam operated vertically movable lever below said carriage and having its free end engaged in sliding relation beneath said slide plate, and vertically extending parallel link members pivoted at their lower ends in longitudinally spaced relation on said supporting frame and pivotally connected at their upper ends to said carriage, and said chute moving means comprising resilient means connected to said carriage and to said supporting frame for urging said carriage in the direction opposite to the direction of advancing movement of said conveyor and means for interrrnttently swinging one of said link members to move said carriage in the direction of advancing movement of said conveyor.

3. In a bag handling machine, an upright supporting frame, a continuously advancing horizontal conveyor mounted on said frame and provided with a series of upwardly opening spaced bag receiving pockets, mechanism for delivering flat bottom open bags in succession into said pockets which mechanism comprises a vertically extending guideway forming frame adapted to receive successive bags therein, means for supporting said frame for movement in a closed path above the line of travel of the pockets on said conveyor and means for moving said frame in said path in timed relation to the movement of the conveyor to align the lower end of the guideway above a pocket on the conveyor for delivery of a bag into the latter during advance of the frame with the conveyor, said frame supporting means comprising a vertically disposed carriage having a vertical track, a slide plate mounted in said track and connected to said frame, a cam operated vertically swingable lever connected to said slide plate, and vertically disposed parallel link members pivotally connected to said supporting frame and said carriage, and said frame moving means comprising mechamsm for intermittently swinging said link members to move said carriage in the direction of advancing movement of said conveyor.

4. In a bag handling machine having an upright supporting frame and a continuously advancing horizontal conveyor mounted on said frame with a series of upwardly opening spaced bag receiving pockets, mechanism for delivering bags in succession into said pockets which mechanism comprises a vertically disposed movable guide chute adapted to receive successive bags therein, said guide chute being mounted for movement in a closed path above the line of travel of the pockets on said conveyor, supporting and moving means for said guide chute comprising a carriage having a vertically extending track, a slide member mounted in said track and connected to said guide chute, a cam operated member connected to said slide member for vertically moving said slide member, vertically extending parallel link members pivoted on said supporting frame and pivotally connected to said carriage, and means for intermittently swinging said link members to reciprocate said carriage in the direction of movement of said conveyor, said slide member and said carriage being moved in time relation to the movement of the conveyor to align the lower end of the guide chute above a pocket on the conveyor for delivery of a bag into the latter during advance of the carriage with the conveyor.

5. In a bag handling machine, an upright supporting frame, a continuously advancing horizontal conveyor mounted on said frame and provided with a series of upwardly opening spaced bag receiving pockets, mechanism for delivering flat bottom open bags in succession into said pockets which mechanism comprises a vertically extending double chute forming frame disposed above the path of said pockets and adapted to receive successive pairs of bags in the open upper end thereof, a vertically disposed, horizontally movable carriage having a vertical track, a slide member mounted in said track and connected to said chute forming frame, a cam means connected to said slide member for vertically reciprocating the same, vertically disposed parallel link members pivotally connected to said upright supporting frame and said carriage, and means for intermittently swinging said link members to reciprocate said carriage in the direction of movement of said conveyor, said chute forming frame and said carriage being reciprocated in timed relation to the movement of the conveyor so as to align the lower end of the chute above a pair of pockets on the conveyor for delivery of bags into the latter during advance of the chute forming frame with the conveyor.

6. In a bag handling machine as recited in claim 5, and said conveyor pockets having apertured bottoms, and means forming a vacuum chamber below the same at the point of delivery of the bags for drawing the bags into the pockets.

No references cited. 

